Lift truck



, P 22, 1942- D. A. GRASSICK 4 2,296,610

' LIFT TRUCK Filed 001;. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR BYDan/e/ 47%;;

ATTOR N EY p 2., 1 42- D. A'GRASSICK 2,296,610

LIFT TRUCK Filed Oct. 3, 1941' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fian/k/ .rass/a /0% 754.4.) ATTlORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1942 2,296,610 LIFT TRUCK Daniel A. .Grassick, LosAngeles, Calif.

Application October 3, 1941,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a device whereby it is possible to move heavy articles or equipment; and more particularly to a wheeled carriage or truck, so arranged that the load supported thereon may be readily wheeled. For example, the truck may be placed adjacent a load to be raised or moved, and by appropriate manipulation the load is lifted sufficiently and supported temporarily on the truck. 1

One example of such loads is found in stores and shops. It is common therein to use large counters or fixtures for the display as well as the storage of merchandise; these counters are usually not permanently installed, but merely rest on the floor so that they can be moved to different locations as desired.

However such counters are usually of considerable size; and due to the merchandise thereon are very heavy. Hence, a gang of several men is required to move one, and it is usually necessary to remove at least part of the merchandise before moving, not only to reduce the weight, but also because the jerking and other irregular movements incident to shifting a heavy and awkward object seriously disarranges the merchandise. Thus not only the time of several men is consumed in actually moving the counter, but a large amount of time is also consumed in unloading the counter and replacing and rearranging the merchandise.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide means by which one man can readily lift and move such counters; nevertheless, it is not to be presumed that the invention is in any manner limited to any specific use, as obviously it may be applied generally to any suitable load. I a

It is another object of this invention to provide means whereby a load, such as a counter can be moved, without the need of removing any merchandise to decrease the weight of the counter, nor disarrangingthe display.

In accomplishing this object, use is made of a pair of trucks, operating on opposite sides of the counter to provide a wheeled device at each end of the counter. 'In this way, the total lift need be only such as to cause the load to clear the floor. Accordingly it is another object of this invention to make it possible effectively to utilize a pair of lift trucks on opposite ends or sides of the load.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a lift truck having a novel locking arrangement, whereby the truck-may sustain the load after lifting it Without further attention on the part of the operator.

Serial No. 413,424

' tail, illustrating the It is still another object of this invention to provide such an arrangement which is self looking and which may be readily released by the operator.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easilyapparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose there is shown a form in the drawings .ac'companying and forming part of the present specification. This form will now be described in 'degeneral principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this deta ed description is not to be "taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is aside elevation of the lift truck;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sections as seen on correspondingly numbered planes of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the frame showing an accessory which may be used therewith;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the accessory of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a'view similar to Fig. 5 showing another form of accessory;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the left hand end of the accessory of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the truck showing it in use; and f Fig. 10 is a view, illustrating the manner in which a large counter or display case may be supported forpor'tability by the aid of a pair of trucks, operating on opposite sides of the load.

Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 30f the drawings, the truck includes a frame l mounted on Wheels 2-and 3, which are arranged to swivel or caster about axes 4 and 5 transverse to the axes of the wheels. articles. Frame I has a lower forward extension or lip 6 (seealso Fig. 9) as well as an upper rearwardly extending portion 1, joined by an upwardly extending wall 8. Lip 6 extends forwardly of the carriage l and is intended to be applied beneath the 'article to be lifted. As shown in Fig. 2, body or frame I is of substantial length,

the caster wheels 2, 3, being symmetrically located near the ends thereof. stiffening plates or flanges 9 and ID are provided at the opposite ends of body I, Extending upwardly from the central .part of the rearward edge of upper plate I, and

rigidly secured thereto is the handle l4. These parts, including the frame and the handle, may conveniently be made of metal. Frar'ne l is intended to be disposed quite close to the floor 52,

Such casters are common commercial lock bar and handle I4 is long enough to be manipulatable by an operator in standing position.

Secured in wall 8 are eyebolts l5, l6, pivotally carrying shaft I! to which is secured an upwardly extending member |8, constituting the locking arm. Secured to the rear side of member 8 is a pair of plates 20 and 2|, having alined slots 22, which receive a pin 23 carried by a rearwardly extending bar 24.

Bar 24 extends slidably through a guide member 25 (Fig. 3), which is mounted on handle |4 being secured, as by screws 25, to a plate 21 which in turn is welded to the handle l4. Pivotally secured in guide member 25 below bar 24 is a cam member 38, the high portion 3| of which has forwardly facing ratchet teeth 32. A compression spring 33 urges cam 30 in a clockwise direction about its pivot 34 to bring the high portion 3| against the lower surface of bar 24. This serves to wedge bar 24 against the top of guide 25 to prevent movement toward the right. Teeth 32 increase the grip of the cam 30 on the bar 24, and any slight movement of the bar 24 to the right turns the cam slightly, thereby increasing the wedging action and the force restraining the bar. However, bar 24 is free to move to the left at any time, since such movement turns the cam 3|] counterclockwise and disengages the high point 3| from the bar. Furthermore, other means are provided for optionally disengaging the cam 30 from bar 24 to permit the bar to move freely to the right when desired. Thus, cam 30 has an arm 36 to which is pivotally attached an operating rod 31 as by clevis 38 downwardly through plate 1, being guided by a hole 40 therein, and has a projection 4| by which the operator can urge rod 3'! downwardly by foot pressure, Pressure on the projection 4| will obviously swing cam 30 counterclockwise against spring 33, thereby moving the high portion 3| of the cam out of contact with the rod 24. Such cam locking arrangements are well known.

The use of the truck is as follows. As previously mentioned, the truck is intended for use with display counters, such as indicated by 50 (Figs. 9 and 10) although it is of course not limited to such use. These counters generally have a set back portion which extends a short distance above the floor 52, and forms an overhanging step 53. The truck is wheeled in the general position shown in Fig. 1 with lip 6 close to floor 52, until the advancing edge of lip 6 engages portion 5 of counter 50, or at least is well under step53. The body is then swung upwardly about the axes of wheels 2 and 3 by swinging handle 14 in a clockwise direction, the handle thus serving as a lever. This brings the extremity of lip 6 upwardly against step 53; and further upward movement raises that end of counter 50. A similar operation on the other end of counter 50 with another truck serves to raise the counter completely ofi the floor 52, as shown in Fig. 10.

When the counter has been suificiently raised |8 is swung forwardly until it engages the adjacent face of counter 50, cam 30 permitting it to move freely in this direction, but preventing its return. The bar 8 presses against the load but is not otherwise fastened thereto, This serves to lock the truck so that the counter remains in the lifted position of Fig. 9. The upper end of bar I8 may be padded in order to prevent injury as by scratching, of the sides of the article as load 50.

'It will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 9 that the force exerted by load 50 on the frame and pin 39. Rod 31 extends if for any other reason Figs. 7 and 8.

fore to lip 6.

front of lip 6 as a jack. Thus the strut 24 acts to prevent lowering of the load, which is jacked up by a simple clockwise rotation of frame I. Frame by itself, does not serve as a load sustaining carriage.

The operator, as heretofore stated, can similarly apply a truck to the opposite end of the counter, whereupon the counter will be securely supported on casters 2 and 3 at its opposite ends and can be readily moved about by the operator. Since these casters are swiveled about axes 4 and 5 (Fig. 2), the counter |5 may be readily moved in any desired direction on the floor 52.

When it is desired to lower the counter 53 to the floor, handle I4 is grasped by the operator, and bar 24 is released as previously described by foot pressure on extension 4|. This allows the weight of the counter to be supported by means of handle M which may be allowed to swing slowly counterclockwise until the counter again rests on the floor 52. The truck may then be backed away and member 8 returned by the operator to its initial position (Fig. 1).

It will be obvious that an operator for each of the twotrucks will materially increase the speed of operations.

To guard against the possibility of splitting the step 53,'in the event that the step 53 is narrow or the end of lip 6 is very close to the edge of the step 53, several pointed grip elements 56 may be placed adjacent the edge of the lip 6 (Fig. 4). These elements 56 each have a sharply coned point 57 with its axis 58 inclined at an acute angle with lip 6, and may be secured as by being threaded into opening 59 in the lip 6, The inclination of the axis 58 is so chosen that even when lip 6 is inclined upwardly at the greatest practicable angle, corresponding to the maximum height of the load 5|], axis 58 will still be inclined inwardly with respect to step 53. Thus, any tendency to split the step is obviated.

Some counters may not have a step 53, but may merely have gliders such as indicated at 6|], Fig. 9. For lifting such counters, accessories, one of whichis shown in Figs. 5 and 6, are secured at opposite ends of frame I. This accessory 6| has a rounded nose 62 which extends beyond lip 6, being offset downwardly at 53 and provided with a very thin advancing edge 64. This forms in effect an extension of lip 6 which is thin enough to pass under the edge of a counter supported very close to the floor, by means of which the counter may be lifted as just described. The accessory BI is supported by a shank 65 which is adapted to rest on lip 6 adjacent end plate 9 or H], and extends back through opening 66in wall 8. A thumb screw 61 passing through an opening in the middle of shank 65 engages a tapped hole 68 in lip 6, thereby securing the accessory 3| against upward displacement.

Another form of accessory is shown at 69 in This has a shank 10 similar to shank 65 and secured in the same manner as be- Its outer extremity however is turned up and provided with a chiseledge Such accessories are useful in lifting metal counters, or other types in which the truck alone, or

with the previously considered type, will not properly handle the load.

Ihese accessories 61-, 68, may all be conveniently carried when not in use on body 6-, as indicated by broken lines in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, tapped holes 12 may be provided in wall 8 near the ends of its lower portion for receiving thumb screws 91, each of which serves to hold two of the accessories BI, 69- securely in place on the wall.

What is claimed is:

i. In a device of the character described, a pivoted frame having an edge adapted to raise one side only of a load upon swinging of the frame upon its axis in one direction, a lever attached to the frame for swinging said frame to cause the edge to lift the load, and means providing a force derived from the weight of the load, and forming an operative connection between the load and the lever for restraining lowering movement of the lever.

2. In a device of the character described, a pivoted frame having an edge adapted to raise one side only of a load upon swinging of the frame upon its axis in one direction, a lever attached to the frame for swinging said frame to cause the edge to lift the load, and means adapted to form an operative connection between the load and the lever for restraining lowering movement of the lever, comprising a strut member exerting a force created by the weight of the load and against the lever, and means for optionally releasing said strut member.

3. In a device of the character described, a frame having an edge adapted to raise one side only of a load, one or more casters pivotally and movably supporting said frame, a handle for operating said frame and to tilt it to load raising position, and means providing a force derived from the weight of the load and cooperating with the lever for maintaining said lever in load sustaining position.

4. In a device of the character described, a frame having an edge adapted to raise one side only of a load, one or more casters pivotally and movably supporting said frame, a handle for operating said frame and to tilt it to load raising position, and detachable load engaging members carried by the said edge.

5. In combination, a pivotally supported frame having an extension for rai 'ng one side only of a load, a lever for swinging said frame about its support to raise the load, and means to prevent the frame swinging in the opposite direction, whereby the frame supports the load, said means comprising a pivoted arm adapted to engage the load, a strut member attached to said arm and slidable with respect to the lever, a ratchet interposed between the strut and the lever, and means to release the ratchet.

6. In combination, a frame supported on castered wheels for movement over a floor surface, said frame being movable upwardly about the aXes of said wheels and having a forward extension normally close to the floor and adapted to engage and raise one side only of a load, a lever secured to the frame for moving the frame on its wheels as well as for rotating it about the axes of said wheels to cause said extension to raise said load, and means carried by the frame for cooperation with the load to maintain the frame with the load in elevated position.

7. In combination, a frame supported on castered wheels for movement over a floor surface, said frame being movable upwardly about the axes of said wheels and having a forward extenof the load, whereby sion norm-ally close to the floor and adapted to engage and raise one side only of a load, a lever secured to the frame for moving the frame on its Wheels as well as for rotating it about the axes of said wheels tocause said extension to raise said load, and means carried by the frame for cooperation with the load tomaintain the frame with the load in elevated position, said means comprising a strutcarried-by the lever, means attaehed to the strut adapted to engage a surface the load prevents rotation ofthe' lever and the frame in load lowering direction. r

8. In combination, a frame supported on castered wheels for movement over a floor surface, said frame being movable upwardly about the axes of said wheels and having a forward extension normally close to the floor and adapted to engage and raise one side only of a load, a lever secured to the frame for moving the frame on its wheels as well as for rotating it about the axes of said wheels to cause said extension to raise said load, and means adapted to form a releasable strut carried by said lever and arranged to engage a surface of the load to optionally prevent movement of the lever toward the load and maintain the load elevated.

9. In a device for making it possible movably to support a heavy article by raising the article at a plurality of points, a structure having a front edge adapted to raise one side of the article only, one or more swiveled rollers supporting said structure, and means cooperating with the article and the structure and providing a force derived from the weight of the article for optionally restraining lowering of the article.

10. In a device for making it possible movably to support a heavy article by raising the article at a plurality of points, a structure having a front edge adapted to raise one side of the article only, means for pivotally supporting said structure, and means cooperating with the article and the structure and providing a force derived from the weight of the article for optionally restraining lowering movement of the structure.

11. In a device for making it possible movably to support a heavy article by raising the article at a plurality of points, a structure having a front edge adapted to raise one side of the article only, one or more swiveled rollers supporting said structure, and means cooperating with the article and the structure for optionally restraining lowering of the article, comprising a strut between the article and the structure, and means for adjustably clamping said strut with respect to the structure.

12. In a device for making it possible movably to support a heavy article by raising the article at a plurality of points, a structure having a front edge adapted to raise One side of the article only, means for pivotally supporting said structure, and. means operating by virtue of the weight of the article for optionally restraining lowering movement of the structure, comprising a strut between the article and the structure, and means for adjustably clamping said strut with respect to the structure.

13. In a device for making it possible movably to support a heavy article by raising the article at a plurality of points, a structure having a front edge adapted to raise one side of the article only, one or more swiveled rollers supporting said structure, and by the aid of which the structure the article, said structure handle, a strut between may be pivoted to raise including an operating the article and the handle for maintaining said structure in the raising position, and means for optionally releasing said strut for lowering the article.

14. In a device for making it possible movably to support a heavy article by raising the article at a plurality of points, a structure having a front edge adapted to raise one side of the article only,. means for pivotally supporting said structure, and means operating by virtue of the weight of the article for optionally restraining lowering movement of the structure,comprising a strut between the article and the structure.

15. In a device for movably supporting a heavy article, a structure having a front edge for raising one side of the, article without appreciably tilting the article, means for pivotally supporting said structure, 'means for moving said structure about its pivotal support for creating a lifting force, and means cooperating with said article and the means for moving the structure, for imposing a force on said structure that locks the 0 structure against load lowering movement.

DANIEL A. GRASSICK. 

